The present invention relates to a bonded structure obtained by bonding a plurality of structures, a microstructure, and a microproduct.
It is particularly effective to apply the invention to a microstructure and a microproduct used in the fields of biochemistry, biotechnology, optics, electrics and electronics, and the like, such as a micromechanical switching element, microoptics, a microfluid, a microchemical reactor, a microbioreactor, a microdevice, a microchannel, and a microwell array chip.
As a method of forming a microchannel through which a sample or a reactive liquid is caused to flow, a method has been studied which includes providing a plurality of structures, forming a two-dimensional or three-dimensional open microstructure such as an open channel or an open hole in at least one of the structures, and bonding the other structure having a flat and smooth surface to the structure in which the open microstructure is formed to obtain a microstructure.
For example, Japanese Patent No. 3515784 discloses technology of applying to bonding surfaces of structures a solution prepared by dissolving a material having a melting point lower than that of the structures in a solvent, removing the solvent, and bonding the structures by heating. However, an appropriate bonding agent does not exist when producing at least one of the structures using a polypropylene resin. Therefore, bonding strength may be low, or a microstructure may be deformed when employing a high heating temperature.
When producing a microproduct without a channel such as a microwell array chip, it may be necessary to provide a liquid leakage preventive frame around the well array so that leakage of a sample poured into the well array does not occur. In this case, a solvent or the like may enter the space between the bonding surfaces of the microwell array chip and the liquid leakage preventive frame, whereby leakage of a liquid may occur.